A circuit includes a signal line formed of at least one conductive element and a shield at least partially encompassing the signal line. The circuit further includes a first dynamic capacitor located between the shield and the signal line. The first dynamic capacitor is configured to provide a first variable amount of capacitance.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A circuit having a structure, comprising: a signal line formed of at least one conductive element; a shield at least partially encompassing the signal line, wherein the shield is positioned parallel to the signal line; and a first dynamic capacitor configured to provide a first variable amount of capacitance, wherein the first dynamic capacitor comprises: a first conductive element located between the signal line and the shield; wherein the first conductive element is positioned parallel to the signal line; and a first switch configured to couple the first conductive element to a low impedance node in a first state or decouple the first conductive element from the low impedance node and float the first conductive element in a second state responsive to a control signal, wherein the first state and the second state of the first dynamic capacitor provide different amounts of capacitance for the first variable amount of capacitance.
2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the signal line is a single ended signal formed of a single conductor.
3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the signal line is a differential signal formed of two conductors.
4. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first dynamic capacitor is not physically connected to the signal line.
5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first dynamic capacitor is field programmable.
6. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of dynamic capacitors inclusive of the first dynamic capacitor, each comprising a conductive element between the signal line and the shield and a switch configured to selectively couple the conductive element to a low impedance node; wherein the conductive elements are parallel to the signal line; and wherein the conductive elements and the first conductive element substantially surround the signal line.
7. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive element, the shield, and the signal line are implemented in a same metal layer.
8. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising: a second dynamic capacitor located between the shield and the signal line configured to provide a second variable amount of capacitance.
9. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein the second dynamic capacitor comprises: a second conductive element located between the signal line and the shield; and a second switch configured to selectively couple the second conductive element to a low impedance node.
10. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein: the second switch is configured to couple the second conductive element to the low impedance node in a first state or decouple the second conductive element from the low impedance node and float the second conductive element in a second state responsive to a control signal; and the first state and the second state provide different amounts of capacitance.
11. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein: the conductive element of the dynamic capacitor comprises a plurality of vertically aligned conductive elements, each parallel to the signal line; and the plurality of vertically aligned conductive elements are coupled using vias.
12. A circuit, comprising: a signal line formed of at least one conductive element; a shield at least partially encompassing the signal line, wherein the shield is positioned parallel to the signal line; and at least two dynamic capacitors located between the shield and the signal line, wherein each dynamic capacitor comprises: a conductive element located between the signal line and the shield and is parallel to the signal line; and a switch configured to couple the conductive element to a low impedance node in a first state or decouple the conductive element from the low impedance node and float the conductive element in a second state responsive to a control signal, wherein for each dynamic capacitor, the first state and the second state provide different amounts of capacitance for a variable amount of capacitance; wherein each of the at least two dynamic capacitors is not physically connected to the signal line and the conductive elements of the at least two dynamic capacitors are aligned.
13. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the conductive element of a first dynamic capacitor is of a same length as the conductive element of a second dynamic capacitor.
14. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the conductive element of a first dynamic capacitor is of a different length than the conductive element of a second dynamic capacitor.
15. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the switch of each dynamic capacitor is operative independently of the other.
16. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the conductive elements, the shield, and the signal line are implemented in a same metal layer.
17. A method of implementing a circuit, comprising: providing a signal line formed of at least one conductive element; providing a shield at least partially encompassing the signal line, wherein the shield is positioned parallel to the signal line; implementing a dynamic capacitor located between the shield and the signal line that is configured to provide a variable amount of capacitance, wherein the first dynamic capacitor comprises: a conductive element located between the signal line and the shield; wherein the conductive element is positioned parallel to the signal line; and a switch configured to selectively couple the conductive element to a low impedance node to provide a variable amount of capacitance; wherein the dynamic capacitor is not physically connected to the signal line; and varying the variable amount of capacitance provided by the dynamic capacitor by coupling the first conductive element to the low impedance node in a first state or decoupling the first conductive element from the low impedance node and floating the first conductive element in a second state responsive to a control signal, wherein the first state and the second state of the first dynamic capacitor provide different amounts of capacitance.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first conductive element, the shield, and the signal line are implemented in a same metal layer.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein implementing a dynamic capacitor comprises: implementing a plurality of dynamic capacitors, wherein each dynamic capacitor is controlled independently.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 18, 2012
August 30, 2016
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